In the Manufacturers Cup section of its 2009 Technical Manual WKA announced that all karts with CIK style bodywork must have a rear bumper that extended “to at least the center of the rear tires as raced.” This rule could be implemented by installing either tubular steel bumpers or a CIK style rear tire protection device.

The rule became effective March 1, 2009 and has been enforced at National events since that date. However, implementation of the rule at Master Tracks and in Divisional/Regional Series was deferred to allow competitors at these levels time to update their equipment.

On their April 17 conference call, the Board of Trustees agreed that competitors at Master Tracks and Divisional/Regional Series have now had adequate time to comply with this rule. However, to give some additional notice to comply, the Trustees agreed the rule would go into effect at Master Tracks and Divisional/Regional Series on December 20, 2012, the beginning of the 2013 Competition Year.